Ridgeway Bitter

Brewed by Hepworth
Style: Bitter
Horsham, England

Tasted 13/01/2007. 500ml bottle conditioned ale from Rumble’s, Wellington. Pale gold, white airy head that persists and throws an immaculate lace. Firm packed yeast but a touch still gets into the glass. Floral yeast notes on the nose, spciy hops and sweet background lolly notes. In the mouth it is hoppy and yeasty. Very dry, with spicy hops in the middle and a bready yeast and floral hop finish. Light and a little fizzy. These Ridgeway beers all have a very similar feel to each other. Getting a bit "samey". They remind me of Durham and Burton Bridge beers.

Bottle. Golden bodied with a small white head. Aroma is flowery and spicy with light tea notes, hops, almost a peppery notes, and soft malts. Taste is hoppy but subtle with light floral notes, soft tea leaves, light spice, faded caramel, bready malts and really faint earthy notes. Body is bubbly and smooth with a light-medium overall feel. Bubbles seems larger and more frothy than fizzy or dense carbonation. Ends with more floral notes, earthy hops, bready malts, light toffee and tea leaves.

(cask @ The Old Toad - Rochester, NY) Cloudy gold color with a soapy and foamy white head. Aroma is light and bready with some hops and a more dominant malt hint. Flavor is very light on the palate. Hops are overpowered by the smoothness of the malts and the finish is very clean and quick.

Full golden color with a moderate fairly tight bubbled off-white head. Clear malt and light fruit aromas, not the norm for Maris Otter, seems too clean. Mild scone flavors, with caramel and peaches. Thinner in fell, yet there is a touch of creaminess that saves it from being less than average. Somewhat typical and boring. bitter.

(Bottle) Pours clear, light amber with a white head. Fresh, malty aroma with with cookie hints and light grassy, spicey, citrusy notes. Maybee some flovery tones. A bit sweet, grassy clean flavour with a light hoppy afterbitterness that blends well with the carbonation. Hints of spices. Small to medium body. Nothing that lingers.

(Bottle, Stockholm Beer Festival, 7 Oct) Golden yellow colour with small white head. Malty nose with fruity notes of citrus. Fruity taste with citrus, mandarin, apricots. Bready, dry finish with grassy hops. Enjoyable, but hardly exciting.

Draft. Medium brown color with small off-white head. Aromas of hops, malts, and a slight nose of nuts. Flavor is hoppy, with a sweet malt taste.

Pours a medium brown color with red hues. Aromas of hops, malts, and a slight nose of nuts. Flavor is hoppy, with a sweet malt taste. Was watery towards the end.